How wide is it? Boxed in: If you don’t have a folding rule with a metal extension bar, you can still accurately measure inside a drawer or similar workpiece by using a retractable tape measure and a combination square. Place the square against one corner. Starting at the opposite corner, measure the remaining distance with [...]
Bull’s eye Making the curve: Drilling a hole on a curved surface, such as molding, can be tricky because the bit has a tendency to wander. To keep the bit centred, first use an awl or nail to punch a hole where you plan to drill. Then start drilling the hole with the bit perpendicular [...]
Got it straight? Let your finger do the work: When scribing a straight line near the edge of a board, use your finger as a guide (but only if the edge of the board is straight). Hold the pencil between your thumb and first finger, and rest the tip of your middle finger on the [...]
Chisel it away Hold it straight: To create a neat cut when making a stopped housing, mortise or dovetail joint, the chisel must be held precisely perpendicular to the wood. One way to guide the chisel is to hold a square block tight up against the blade. Or try clamping a board with a straight [...]
Router rules Which way to go? When it comes to moving a router, the basic rule is: left to right as you face the cut. When making an interior cut, move the router clockwise. For perimeters, move it anticlockwise. If you’re using a router table (in which case the router is mounted upside down), move [...]
Avoiding splinters Here’s the bad side: Cutting plywood across the grain can create a splintered edge on one side of the board. This won’t matter as long as you have a good side and a bad side on the workpiece. The trick is to cut on the correct side. Here are the rules: good side [...]
Extension ladders Hand over hand: To raise an extension ladder, place its feet at the base of the wall. Starting at the top, walk the ladder up, hand over hand, until it is vertical. Then pull its feet out from the wall, extend the ladder to the height you want, lock the extension, and set [...]
